Can We Switch Our Weekly Day Off from Saturday to Monday Just for One Week?

Is it possible or permissible to change the weekly off-day? Currently, we have off on Saturdays, but we are considering changing this. We would like to work on Saturday and remain closed on Monday. This change would only be for one week. Is this something we can do?

Change of the Weekly Off Day

Change of the weekly off day in this case is governed by Section 52(1) of the Factories Act 1948, which reads as follows:

Section 52. Weekly Holidays

(1) No adult worker shall be required or allowed to work in a factory on the first day of the week (hereinafter referred to as the said day), unless:

(a) he has or will have a holiday for the whole day on one of the three days immediately before or after the said day, and

(b) the manager of the factory has, before the said day or the substituted day under clause (a), whichever is earlier:

(i) delivered a notice at the office of the Inspector of his intention to require the worker to work on the said day and of the day which is to be substituted, and

(ii) displayed a notice to that effect in the factory.

Provided that no substitution shall be made which will result in any worker working for more than ten days consecutively without a holiday for a whole day.

So, by delivering a notice to this effect to the office of the Factory Inspector and by displaying a notice to this effect, the weekly off can be changed.

Weekly Holiday Adjustments

You can do this temporarily or permanently, at your convenience. However, a day in a week must be given as a holiday to workers, either declared by the company. In the case of perishable goods production, transport, export, import companies, prawn fishes, KFC food material units, etc., individual weekly holidays are given as per the requirements of their company workers.

Impact of Liberalization Policy on Labor Laws

As soon as the liberalization policy was implemented by the honorable late Prime Minister of India, Shri PV Narasimha Rao, an inspection-free Raj system was followed by all states of India. Many of the British-made labor laws of India, along with some sections, are now put under cold storage. This is in order to encourage more entrepreneurs, improve production rates, and foster the development of India. So please go ahead, sir. Please note that many labor laws that were troubling business improvement are not enforced now.

Regards, Gannahope, Nellore